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Luke 3:7-18

3rd Sunday of Advent - Year C

December 16, 2012

The Rev. Dr. Robert Baggott (UCC)

Well, with Christmas nearly here, there is probably not one among us whose thoughts don't stray towards Bethlehem with real longing. Do you want to go to Bethlehem? Well, getting there hasn't always been easy.

Back in the 1980's when I first started leading groups on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, getting to Bethlehem required disembarking our tour bus at an armored check point outside the town, having our passports checked, then walking a full block under the watchful eye of heavily armed Israeli soldiers. Only after successfully navigating this pulse-quickening walk could we board a Palestinian bus to finally take us into Bethlehem. In the 1990's the process changed a bit. Our tour bus still had to stop at a checkpoint before entering the city, but then instead of requiring passengers to get off, armed soldiers got on. They walked up and down the aisles checking passports and asking questions. After a few anxiety-producing minutes, when the all clear was given, we could drive to the other side of the checkpoint, change buses, and enter Bethlehem. When we last traveled to Bethlehem, just last winter, the process of getting there had eased dramatically. There was no passport check on the way in. Nor did soldiers board the bus. We simply drove to a kiosk where our bus driver spoke to a guard for a few moments. Then we were waved on, with the greatest impediment being the speed bump that lies at the gate of the twenty-five foot cement wall which now sadly separates Israel from the West Bank. And that is how you get to Bethlehem these days, at least physically.

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Jesus the Rogue Rabbi

Luke 16:1-9

Proper 20 (25) - Year C

September 19, 2010

The Rev. Thomas Brackett (TEC)

Well, what an impossible reading to reflect on for today's broadcast! This has always been one of those tough passages for me -- I mean, by now you are probably wondering, "Is Jesus praising unjust and sneaky financial dealings? Would He be inviting us to take our cue from the clever manipulations of the corporate rogues at Enron, for example? Padding their pockets in the moment they are about to lose their jobs? If I read it accurately, the story actually praises the wisdom of the children of the world, right? And yet, let me ask you, "Would you want this employee as your investment manager?"

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Other Recent Content About Generosity

January 13, 2010

The Worth of a Good Man

The Rev. John Gunn (other)

This Facing Life Article, based on Acts 11:24, examines the qualities and value of being a good person. The Rev. John R. Gunn writes, "A good man is the world's noblest blessing. He is worth more than all the gold locked up in our bank vaults. Indeed, there is no way of measuring the worth of a good man."

November 08, 2009

What God Values in Stewardship

The Rev. Dr. D. Scott Weimer (PCUSA)

The Rev. Dr. Scott Weimer takes a timely look at what it means to be stewards of God's resources in our lives as believers.

July 23, 2009

Bishop Mark Hanson: Seizing an Opportunity

Bishop Mark Hanson (ELCA)

Bishop Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, believes the economic crisis gives us an opportunity to share God's generosity and faithfulness.

January 18, 2009

Philip: The Careful Realist

Ann Claypool Beard, LCSW (TEC)

Philip was the first person to whom Jesus extended his famous invitation, offering him the most basic form of salvation when he said, "Follow me." It was soon after Jesus met Philip that he made this simple though life-changing proposal: "Come join me. Share the rest of your journey with me," and Philip did just that. Such immediate acceptance of a life-altering offer seems out of character for Philip, because later passages in the gospels show him to be a cautious and deliberate man who was typically slow to make decisions.

September 21, 2008

The Generosity of God

The Rev. Dr. Michael Foss (ELCA)

The Rev. Dr. Michael Foss is senior pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines, IA, and the author of several books.

Living more Generously - Day1 Reflection Team with Bill Turpie

"Are we afraid of living more generously, and if we are what does that say about ourselves?" Host Bill Turpie and the Day1 Reflection team discuss this topic.

Day 1 with host Peter Wallace is the voice of the mainline Protestant churches. Through sermons, blogs, and video & audio resources, Day 1 proclaims a positive, passionate faith for today.